So I want to buy a scanner...

[Keebler Elf]

I want to buy a scanner to digitize all of my old financial statements and clean out my filing cabinet. I need a scanner that has a feeder tray and a relatively decent scanning speed. Scanning page by page on a flat top scanner is not an option! I plan to keep on top of future scanning so it won't be a one-shot purchase.

Any recommendations on model and/or prices?

 

[Never Compromised]

Take the old statements to a copying place and have them scan them to a pdf file. Once a year take the statements in and scan em.

It's not worth the coin to purchase a scanner for a once a month job.

I have to agree, better to have it done by a service.

 

[MarkII]

Shiek has a point....why buy a scanner for a once a year job. Have them done to a PDF file and MAKE SURE...you store a copy off site with a friend or relative. OF you prefer..put acopy in your safety deposit box each year...just keep a copy of ALL your important documents off site. Everything..Wills, Marriage certificates, birth certificates, bank statements, mortgage documents...you name it. Having a copy will save your ass if you need it legally.

I have a whack of clients that got whacked by huricanne's Rita and Katrina. The ones that got immediate settlements from their insurance companies had off site back up documents. Otheres are amazingly still struggling throught the process. That off site back up is worth it's weight in gold if you need it in an emergency.

I have a scanner at home and regularly add to my off site storage site all my paperwork. It's low resz..doesn't take up much storage space and it's there if I ever need it. In todays society we have to keep records and we nee backups in case of an emergency. Your insurance company loves you when you just pay..but if you have no records left after a fire..they'll fight you tooth and nail for a low settlement unless you have the documentation.

It's also a good way to hide the other set of books. BUT...NO ON HERE would do that! hehehehe.

Be safe..back up!

M2

 

[Keebler Elf]

It's not going to be a once a year job. It's going to be ongoing. I don't want to go to a third party; I want to do it myself. So that's not an issue.

 

[xarir]

A standalone scanner would cost a pretty penny.

Not necessarily. High-capacity scanners cost a small fortune but there are smaller, workgroup or even personal sized scanners available from the major companies. For example:

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/dpq/site/TKX/name/DocumentScanners_product

http://www.xeroxscanners.com/default.asp?pageid=100

I know that Canon makes high-capacity scanners so it's possible they make lower-end ones as well. I suppose the same would be true for Minolta and others.

Scanners are generally available at stores that sell Macintosh computers (desktop publishing etc) and at photocopier resellers.

 

[MarkII]

Automated scanners meaning paper fed, some combo fax/copier/scanners can do the job. A standalone scanner would cost a pretty penny. Shop around at best buy and office depot/staples and see what fits your budget and your needs. Make sure you get the pdf software with it.

Keeeb...if it's an ongoing thing Shiek has the right idea. I have an all in one unit from HP that is now about 6 years old I use for the same thing you mentioned. It's been a real workhorse. My print count is over 12000 pages and it's still going strong.

I would reccomend you either buy or find a copy of Acrobat pro. It will pick up your scanner as an input device an automatically make your documents pdf rather than native formats such as jpeg etc.

Makes it a lot easier later to print them easily. While my HP was a one hit wonder...I never expected it to last this long I have no idea if the current HP units are as good.

M2

 

[Keebler Elf]

I would reccomend you either buy or find a copy of Acrobat pro.

Got it.

 

[Cobster]

Do what my friend did, scan all the things you need scanned within 30-days, then return it.

 

[Never Compromised]

http://umax.com/index.jsp?worldwide=usa


I had a umax, worked very well. Now I have an agfa, great product but no longer made for the consumer market.

 

[WoodPeckr]

I have an 8 yr old Umax and it still works fine.

 

[guelph]

It's not going to be a once a year job. It's going to be ongoing. I don't want to go to a third party; I want to do it myself. So that's not an issue.

do print from your own accounting software? if so print to a pdf file.

 

[luvulong]

Depending on how many pages you are scanning, you may want to use a fax machine with a USB port. Most of them can be used to scan small volume documents (20 pages or so) to your PC. I use a HP Officejet 4215 all-in-one (costed about $250 a couple of years ago) to scan documents to my PC with satisfactory results. The only down side is that the naming/indexing of files folders a a bit cumnbersome.

 

[Lapper]

unless you're doing professional work, this is all you need. i've owned many brands of scanners (agfa, mustek, microtek, umax, etc.) in the past and i always go back to hp.

http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=0926INGFS10073545&catid=21201

btw keebs, christina hasn't been around cb lately. just thought i'd save you a post in the sc section.

 

[Lapper]

Do what my friend did, scan all the things you need scanned within 30-days, then return it.

don't refer to something you did and blame it on a buddy of yours!!!!

 

[Keebler Elf]

btw keebs, christina hasn't been around cb lately. just thought i'd save you a post in the sc section.

Me? Post a thread about Christina? Naaahhhh...

 

[xix]

Feeder sucks.

I want to buy a scanner to digitize all of my old financial statements and clean out my filing cabinet. I need a scanner that has a feeder tray and a relatively decent scanning speed. Scanning page by page on a flat top scanner is not an option! I plan to keep on top of future scanning so it won't be a one-shot purchase.

Any recommendations on model and/or prices?

Scanning oh yeah I almost did that job for my photos but got lazy. But over the years my work place got a photocopier machine that can scan into PDF. I would scan personal papers and email my scans to my workplace email address then from my computer send it to my house or d/l to my usb drive. Then I simply enter my email address on the photocopier but that was cumbersome and painful.

I would do this.
- not get a top feeder, those internal wheels WILL loose their guidance. It happens at work that is why I have to manual feed each page or I will get pages that are crooked by 15 - 20 degrees. It is alot.

Get a scanner that works with LINUX. You would be shock to know that some of HP doesn't but some of Canon does.
http://www.sane-project.org/
http://www.buzzard.me.uk/jonathan/scanners-usb.html
You say linux well I did too a few years back, but with copyrights and lawyers, and since linux is free you cannot be to libel.

I am making everything offsite by the end of this year.